


the cord that ties us together

by BlingBlingMaknae



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Final Haikyuu Quest, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Demon King Oikawa - Freeform, Dreams, Eventual Happy Ending, Fantasy, Fluff, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Lives, Reincarnation, Smut, Soulmates, human Sugawara
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:55:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24255487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlingBlingMaknae/pseuds/BlingBlingMaknae
Summary: In which modern-day Oikawa Tooru and Sugawara Koushi's fates are bonded by a series of dreams about their bittersweet past selves: the demon king and his human lover.
Relationships: Oikawa Tooru/Sugawara Koushi
Comments: 13
Kudos: 55





	the cord that ties us together

**Author's Note:**

> More on the past events (Haikyuu! Quest au) which are mostly angsty with a little fluff with commentary + fluff from modern day OiSuga
> 
> WARNING:  
> Eventual character deaths (Haikyuu!! Quest era)
> 
> A legit happy ending for the modern era OiSuga
> 
> Read at your feelings' own risk
> 
> P.s. i will fix the spacing later when i wake up
> 
> P p.s. allow me to advertise my other fic. Letter exchange format. English  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/24165271

Oikawa should be happy.

Sitting before him in a tranquil coffee shop along the streets of Tokyo was his crush from high school, Sugawara Koushi slash Mr. Refreshing.

Oikawa first noticed him during the Interhigh. He had this inexplicable power to refresh his teammates' low spirits, and somehow, through the net, Oikawa felt something inside his chest stirring at the other setter's sunny beams and grins.

The qualifiers match came months later and he found himself annoyed to the max with Mr. Refreshing's services and tactics. Aoba Johsai was defeated and that was the last time Oikawa ever saw him.

Nevertheless, Oikawa still remembered him.

Oikawa went to the same university with Iwaizumi and to his surprise, Sawamura Daichi also did. Daichi had two classes with Iwaizumi, in which a sense of camaraderie formed between them. Naturally, Daichi began hanging out with Oikawa as well and soon, the three of them were inseparable even when they graduated.

Iwaizumi and Daichi may or may have not witnessed Oikawa staring longingly at a picture of the former Karasuno's captain's high school bestfriend. The picture was apparently stolen from Sugawara's SNS, and to see that the mighty Oikawa Tooru was secretly crushing on someone he never made a move at made the two realize how hopeless their friend would be.

That was exactly the reason Oikawa was on a date with Sugawara at the moment…

...except that Oikawa could sense the other's uneasiness despite his attempts to be friendly.

Oikawa felt the world crashing down on him when all of a sudden, Sugawara bowed. "Sorry."

"First date and you're rejecting me already." Oikawa deflated and he wanted nothing but for the ground to swallow him.

He could not blame him though. Sugawara was just too good, too bright, even compared to the great Oikawa himself.

"It's not…" He stared as Sugawara combed his silver strands with his pale fingers and breathed in deeply. _Shit he really looks ethereal. Save me, heavens._

Sugawara added with a little bite in his tone. "I'm not even certain if your interest in me is genuine."

"I'm hurt, Suga-chan." Oikawa really was, which was rare. "You don't even know me well to judge how I feel about you."

"Who knows if this is one of your games." The other male crossed his arms. "You didn't exactly give the best impression during high school."

"Was I supposed to be nice to a rival? That was like ages ago already. Oh wait, that means that my crush on you was also since that period of time. And excuse me, I play volleyball, not with people's feelings." A sad sigh fell from brunet's lips. He dramatically slumped on the table, arms hands and face against the flat surface as he started his pity party. "Why did you even bother to go here if you hate me that much? You just made my hopes go high. I really thought you wanted to meet me like I wanted to see you again."

"I… I don't hate you. I just…" _I just don't like you,_ Sugawara wished to say, but the kicked puppy look plastered on the other's—a working _adult,_ the coach of a national league level volleyball team—face made him swallow his words. "Do you really like me that much?"

Oikawa nodded and gazed at the school teacher before him. "I barely dated because no one in university was as cute and refreshing as you. Same applies in my workplace."

Warmth crept to Sugawara's face. "We… we never even talked before."

"But I heard a lot about you from Dai-chan."

Of course, it was Daichi. It was Daichi who told stories about Sugawara that had Oikawa falling harder for the silver-haired male. It was Daichi who thought of setting them up for a date because,

_"I am getting married this year, Iwaizumi is going straight with his girlfriend for years while only you, Oikawa, is still single because you are searching for Suga's traits in the people you date. Why don't you go date the real Suga who is, by the way, single and gay too?"_

The school teacher scratched his head, guilt taking over. "Uh, um, I'm sorry. I just… sorry. I didn't know you were this serious. I thought Daichi was kidding."

Oikawa was dazed. Sugawara was just too beautiful, too adorable even when he was visibly nervous. Oikawa felt the urge to squeeze the other's cheeks, who was nibbling on his lip as he fumbled for what to say.

It has been years but damn, Sugawara was as refreshing as ever.

Sugawara breathed in deeply for the nth time that day. "Okay, so the real reason why I agreed to go on this date despite knowing that it was you—"

"What's wrong when it was me—"

"—is because I want to clarify something."

That caught Oikawa's attention and soon, he straightened up, his chin on his propped elbows. "I'm listening."

"I don't know if I should say this… this is weird to be honest," Sugawara's gaze diverted to his nearly finished apple crumble pie, "but even before we met today, I had been having these dreams."

Oikawa had an inkling of what the other was pertaining to. "Dreams?"

"Dreams with you in it, even if I never thought of you. It was not the usual you. It's… quite, uh, supernatural." Sugawara was beyond embarrassed upon seeing the intense gaze glued to him. "F-Forget I said anything."

Oikawa's brown orbs lit up. "By chance, are those dreams about a… _the_ Demon King and his human savior?"

Sugawara's eyes were blown, astonished. He unconsciously leaned closer to the volleyball coach. "Holy shit. How did you know?"

Oikawa simpered, lazily slurping his brown sugar latte. "All because I am having the same dreams."

  
___________________________________________________

"Die, you lowly scums!" The Demon King hurled bolts of dark, lethal magic towards the hero and his comrades.

"Why are you all so persistent, huh? Isn't it clear that I," he aimed for a tree, "am the," he turned to the rocks, "ineradicable Demon King!?"

It was raining heavily, the skies roaring and lightning flashing in angry, jagged lines. There was not a sign of the sun on the horizon, the caliginous sky casting its shadows over the murky world.

"Demon King Oikawa!" The hero jumped, dodging the bolts and shielding himself with his sword. "We will make you pay for sins!"

"Oikawa!" The Demon King's former knight was nearly crushed by the falling tree if not for the giant warrior catching the trunk. "Stop this madness!"

"This would not happen when you all took my offer of giving half of the world but you stubborn little runts are testing me!" The Demon King raised his arm, sharp icicles raining down the scattered battlers. The hero was almost hit if not for the mage's barrier.

"We'd rather perish than accept such a cheap offer!" The archer fired his arrows with the skills the Demon King himself taught him years and years ago. One successfully sliced past the Demon King's cheek, fueling his wrath.

"Bow down you pests!" The skies opened, a pitch black, hellish beam charging down the Earth. It struck the knight's and the hero's swords, with the mage casting a magic resurrection spell to power them up.

The tremendous ray unexpectedly bounced off the swords, propelling towards the Demon King himself.

"This can't be—" Darkness engulfed the Demon King, sucking the strength and power out of his form.

With the last bit of his energy, he teleported without any destination in mind.

His battered body fell on a rocky terrain, scrambling on his footing as he ran for his life.

His unfocused eyes could not recognize the trail he was on, neither could he see the thorns and rocks along the way.

His knees gave away and he fell, diving straight to the ground. With a disgruntled groan, he crawled, clawing on the soil until he could not bear it anymore.

The moment the Demon King opened his eyes, a blurry image of brown and light came to view. The very act of opening his heavy lids was a chore, so to attempt to move any of his aching limbs proved futile.

As his vision cleared, he realized that above him was a ceiling of a shabby cottage. _Is this how the peasants' abodes look like?_

His throat felt dry and raw, hurting as he let out a cough. It seemed that it was ages since a drop of water cooled his throat and he gulped his saliva in an attempt to alleviate the pain and thirst.

He craned his neck towards the ajar wooden window where the blaring morning light seeped in. It gave him a view of the humble place, and he realized how his throne room was even larger than this cottage.

A blanket draped on his form and other than that, he felt that his entire torso was barren under the covers. His legs were numb that he could barely feel if he had any pants on. Some parts of his body felt a bit constricted, as if they were wrapped with bandages.

With the condition he was in, he could not escape even if he wanted to.

The door creaked open, the Demon King jolting in surprise. A feeble-looking, pale human male graced the room with his presence. The silver-haired peasant was dressed in peasant's clothes, the garments fading in color in some areas and bearing little holes on the other. He wore muddy boots that were apparently bigger than his feet. He was ungracefully scratching his stomach and yawning when he entered, but his incautious expression morphed into ones of surprise when he saw the squirming demon on bed.

"Oh, finally awake!" The human ran to the cupboard, gathering a basin, pieces of cloth, bowl, spoon, glass and bottles of elixir.

"The food will be cooked in an hour. Please wait," the human uttered, and the Demon King watched as the other rushed outside with the basin and returned with a full one. He placed it with the pieces of cloth near the bed and went back to the table near the cupboard. He poured water from a jug to the glass, placed it on a tray with the elixir and walked towards the demon.

"Are you hurting anywhere?" The human asked as he laid the tray on the bed's edge and sat beside it.

 _Everywhere,_ the demon wished to answer but his aching throat would not allow him to. He croaked out garbled syllables and the human slipped his arm under the demon's back. He helped the injured sit up, the latter coughing and the former bringing the glass to his lips.

The Demon King internally sighed in relief as the sweet, cold water washed down his throat. He looked at the human, mouthing 'more' and the latter got the entire jar and poured him another glass.

"It is a relief that you are now awake," the human muttered, eyes shining with something akin to worry. "It has been nearly a week since I found you. I almost thought you were dead."

 _One week?_ This couldn't be. The Demon King needed to flee. He needed to chase the pests of a hero and his comrades and get back at them. He needed to annihilate them, to erase their existences from the face of the Earth.

"Hey, what are you doing?" The human's brows furrowed as he watched the demon struggling to move. "You cannot. You are not yet well."

"I need to… go and get..." The demon groaned, the pain shooting to every nerve of his body. He coughed, spilling blood on his hand, making him realize the severeness of his condition.

"My, my, don't move. Your body can't take it yet." The human dipped one cloth in the basin and tenderly wiped the blood smeared on the other's mouth and hand. "You should replenish and strengthen your body and let your wounds heal first before going."

"Before you eat, maybe you should bathe first. You cannot go to the river to wash yet so I'll wash you here." The human mumbled under his breath and he seemed like he was talking to himself with the other's lack of answers.

"I just changed your bandages right before you woke up so I will just wash your torso. Oh wait, is it okay for me to do that?" The silver-haired man sheepishly rubbed his own nape, suddenly conscious.

The demon nodded, not seeing any issue about it. The human removed the sheets covering the injured, exposing the latter's body. As expected, dressings wrapped around his injuries. His lower body was still in his pants that were tattered and ripped on some parts, probably from the battle.

The human dipped a piece of garment in the water, wrung it and gently rubbed the Demon King's face. The latter hissed when a particular part of his forehead was touched, apparently a bruise. The human patted it with care as well as the cut near the demon's lips.

As the human dampened another cloth and cleaned the demon's body, the ailing male wondered why this fragile peasant saved someone like him.

"Where am I?" He inquired in the smallest voice of his as the other wiped his arm and hand.

"In my abode. The outskirts of the city. In the forest, quite near the mountains. Basically an isolated area. I am sorry that this is quite away from the civilization," the silver-haired male's eyes twinkled in realization. "Wait a sec, that's right. This is a perfect place for a demon like you."

The Demon King stared long and hard at the human who blinked innocently at him.

"Hey, human," the demon called, "are you blind?"

"No?" The other was confused with the question. His clothed hand glid on the demon's chest. "I am seeing you."

"So it means that you see my horns."

An affirming nod. "Yes, Your Highness."

 _Your Highness—_ "Wait. So you know that I am no ordinary demon, that I am—"

"Demon King Oikawa. The tyrant monarch who tampered on humans for a long, long time. Defeated by the hero and his comrades a week ago."

Oikawa nearly choked on his saliva. "What the… you know that I am that evil monarch and you saved me?"

"Apparently." The human chuckled and moved to the demon's back. "Whether one is a human, saint, demon or whosoever, I ought to help everyone in need."

A mocking laugh. "Hah, what are you? A doctor? A faith healer?"

"I am but a simple man. I am the steward of the land here, so I should help anyone in need especially those who are in my land." The man answered with utmost sincerity. "In your land, I mean, Oh King. Though you never reached this place of mine so I guess that this is mine."

"Didn't you realize that I may wreck the world to ruins because you saved me?" The Demon King always looked down on humans but this was the first time he encountered someone as foolish as this man.

"I did, but like I care. This world was not exactly nice to me and it is already chaotic anyway." The human shrugged. He moved to Oikawa's legs and proceeded cleaning. "Besides, I know that you won't do that."

The fallen monarch raised a brow. "How can you say so?"

A radiant smile, a blinding one that annoyed the demon curled on the human's lips. "I just know."

___________________________________________________

Sugawara snapped his fingers excitedly, far from the disinterest he displayed throughout their date. "Oh yes, that! Shit that's one of the dreams! I also remember…"

  
___________________________________________________

Sugawara Koushi walked towards his way home. His legs and feet ached from all the walking he did and his arms felt like falling off with the two sacks of crops he carried from his home in the forest towards the town. He was lucky that a cart driver offered him a ride when he reached the main road towards the town. Had he known that he would see a cart driver that day, he would have harvested and brought two extra sacks for the vegetables.

Despite his exhaustion, he skipped happily and whistled a jolly tune. The bag of gold tied around his waist jostled with a clang with every movement. He tossed some coins on his palm as he neared the rocky terrain leading to his plot of land.

He hummed, musing to himself because of his bountiful harvest. He just needed to go to the town for the following days to sell his crops to a vendor friend, and he would earn enough gold to buy himself maybe some new clothes, a bottle of wine or a week-long nice dinner.

His hums died down as he smelled blood. The metallic scent grew stronger as he advanced towards his way. 

His heart almost jumped out of his throat when his eyes fell on the horrifying image before him:

A man lying down the pathway, nearly dead.

His eyes fell on the horns, and they widened in recognition of the other's race.

He did not seem some ordinary demon; he was clad in regal garments, as if he was someone of distinction.

To see someone like that lying down helplessly, tattered clothes marred with mud and skin stained with black and blue and red, was indeed a pitiful sight.

He hastily ran towards the unconscious demon and turned him on his back.

"Sir? Sir? Are you still with us?" He lightly slapped the demon's cheeks but the other won't open his eyes. He reached for the demon's wrist, checking his pulse which was fortunately still there.

He gave one last look on the demon's face and his eyes lit in recognition.

He slid the coins back in the bag of gold and hoisted the demon on his back.

  
___________________________________________________  
  


"Wait," Oikawa held a hand up, barely believing the other. The dream had not occurred to him, perhaps because the demon in the said dream was asleep and had no memory of the event. "You carried me?"

"Adrenaline rush, maybe." Sugawara quipped. His face morphed into ones of bewilderment. "What magical fuckery is this?"

Oikawa tapped the table with his finger, face scrunched as he thought. "It is impossible for this to be a coincidence if we have exactly the same dreams, or at least, connected ones."

Sugawara nodded. "Definitely. By the way, I saw Hinata and Kageyama there. Did you also see them?"

"The hero and the archer," Oikawa answered and Sugawara excitedly mused.

"Exactly!"

"Iwa-chan was the knight."

"Kenma and Kuroo of Nekoma were both mages."

"Karasuno's Ms. Manager was a succubus."

"Aone from Date Tech was a giant warrior."

"Buzz cut and Libero-kun were Ms. Manager's minions."

Sugawara was on the verge of losing it. "Holy shit, do you think that our dreams reflect our past lives?"

An adult like Oikawa should not blush like a school teenager, but that was exactly how he felt at the realization. "So you are saying that… we… w-we were…" 

"Lovers?" Sugawara finished, and they diverted their eyes from each other.

Usually, Oikawa would rejoice and interject about how this was destiny doing its work. However, it was not a simple situation.

_What the hell is with this magical phenomenon?_

He was certain that this does not happen to just any other couple out there.

"Wait. This… everything is quite hard to digest." Sugawara suddenly shoved his apple pie down his throat and Oikawa was internally gushing about the other's hamster cheeks whilst chewing.

"Indeed. This is not exactly what normally happens on a daily basis, to just anyone."

"Do you have more dreams?"

"Suddenly interested in me, Suga-chan?"

Red colored Sugawara's cheeks. "In your dreams, not on you."

"Rude, Suga-chan."

"...please share more of what you dreamt."

"You are on the verge of freaking out just on our past selves' first meeting and you want me to tell _more_?"

The crimson color spread on Sugawara's face and Oikawa's intuition made him realize why. "Ahh, yes, especially _those_ dreams. The steamy ones—"

"Shut up!" Sugawara shot up from his seat, reaching over the table just to cover Oikawa's mouth. The few people in the shop turned towards them, and Sugawara burned in embarrassment.

Oikawa, on the other hand, could care less, because all he could focus on was the soft, velvety feel of Sugawara's hand against his lips.

He whined in his head when his long-time crush withdrew his hand, bowed a little, mumbled 'sorry' to the cafe customers and sat.

"So you also get embarrassed, I see."

"I have shame unlike your brazen ass."

"Ohhh, were you checking on my ass?"

"Your flat as a board ass."

"You were _indeed_ checking me out to notice that."

Sugawara raised his fork as a threat.

Oikawa chuckled—giggled—at the other's adorably angry expression. _Ah, Suga-chan does not seem as if he aged._ He waved at a waiter for additional orders, knowing that their date will last longer than expected.

"Now that we are on the topic about dreams..."

  
  
___________________________________________________  
  


Night. Oikawa awoke from his nap he did not realize he fell into. Shuffling sounds and whistling were heard from outside, indicating the presence of the human. It only took a few moments before said human strutted in, carrying a tray with two smoking bowls.

He was served in no time, and he found it difficult to hide his grimace when he saw what the food was.

It was basically broth with vegetables, far from the tasty meaty soup he was served in the morning. He could tell from the sight and smell alone that it was bland.

"Sorry, I know that the food is far from the food served on the royal table." The human sighed as he blew on the demon's soup. "I only managed to serve meat earlier because it was the last bit of the meat I preserved."

"I don't mind." The Demon King lied, because deep inside, he was cursing his luck. "I mostly eat raw carcass."

"I see." The human neared the spoon to the other's lips who opened his mouth. If not for the spices in the soup, it would be blander than it already was. The vegetables were fine; it was just not his preference. However, he could do nothing but eat to regain his strength.

"You seem unfazed." Oikawa pointed out.

"Isn't it expected from the Demon King to eat human and animal flesh?" The human chuckled, the sound comparable to silver bells, annoying the demon. "I won't give you human meat here. I mostly eat my crops but I will try to slay or buy meat for you from time to time whenever I have the time to hunt."

"No need." _Yes please,_ the word rang in the fallen king's head and he salivated at the mere thought of meat. "You say your crops?"

"Ah yes. I own a small plantation here. I usually sell most of my harvest in town but I keep enough for my survival." _Ah, so this lowly peasant is a farmer._ "That is exactly the reason why I came home late. I sold some to the town."

The demon's brow raised. "You came from the town?"

The farmer read through Oikawa. "Relax. I did not report you, I swear. I just sold to a friend, got paid and went."

Dinner ended with the silver-haired human eating his own meal and feeding the demon. The former poured some clear liquid in a glass and held it before the latter.

The human smiled at the suspecting demon. "This is not poison. It is an elixir made of plant extracts. This may help strengthen your body."

Oikawa gave the liquid one last skeptical look before nodding. The human assisted him in drinking the sweet liquid and true enough, the demon did not perish.

The human started pounding some leaves and herbs in a wooden mortar, a paste to spread on the wounds according to him.

"I think your wounds would need a whole moon or two to heal."

"What will I even do in those two moons?"

"I honestly cannot answer that. Perhaps you miss the lavish lifestyle you have. Here, you can only see vast meadows, rocky paths, mountain ridges and crops. Maybe when you feel better, you can watch as I tend my crops. I cannot take you to town because, you know why, so maybe you can tag along when I go to the mountainous parts of the forest."

Oh, the pathway where he almost died. "Are you even able to reach the mountainous parts?"

A smug smile curled up the other's lips. "Yeah. I may be thin but my body can bear that much work. Besides my crops, I look for wild plants especially medicinal herbs. I cannot plant them here because the temperature here is quite warm, so I go there to harvest and sell whatever beneficial plant I see. You may also hunt if you want. Just don't kill too much. I don't want the ecosystem to be disrupted."

"What a good steward of nature you are." He said with jest that had the other chuckling.

"Shit, you're bleeding." The human almost dropped his pestle as he stared at the demon's bandaged arm where red bloomed.

The human rose on his feet, running to fill a basin with water. He went back to the bedside in no time and proceeded to peel the bandages off.

"Please bear with this for a while."

Throughout the painful cleaning and dressing session, Oikawa observed the human. The latter seemed so used to treating wounds, cleaning them with finesse and dressing them. Even the amount of the concoction he made seemed just enough. The way he wrapped the bandages were just right, not too tight nor too loose.

"You seem used in treating wounds and yet you are not a healer." He could not help but speak out his thoughts.

There was something heavy in the human's voice, something that contrasted from his usual lighthearted tone. "Ever since I was young, I had been alone. Thus, I am used to doing everything by myself."

Common sense told even a demon not used to social settings not to pry further to the seemingly sensitive topic.

Besides, why would he even care to know this human?

He would kill the weakling bastard once he was well, anyway.

"To be honest, I have no clothes for you. I have no budget yet. I cannot even lend you some because we are not of the same size." He gestured to the folded cloaks and sheets on the cabinet. "That's the most you can use for now. It would be just two days. Please bear with it."

"It's fine. It's quite warm anyway." Oikawa replied. It was true. The temperature in the castle was way colder than this forest.

An hour later, the human was back from the outside, just finished bathing. His hair was damp and he changed into a tunic. A sweet scent of flowers bloomed in the room as he entered the cottage, probably the ones he used for bathing.

The fallen monarch adjusted himself on the bed as the human shut the door. turned the lamp off and closed the windows. The mattress was thinner than the one in his castle and he could feel the hardness of the wooden bed frame. The size was like less than half of the one he used to have so for the human to sit on the edge and get under the covers was something he did not expect.

The human smiled apologetically for the umpteenth time of the day. "Pardon. I have no other bed. Is it alright? I can sleep on the floor if you feel uncomfortable. I will just look for some straw to sleep on—"

"It's fine." Oikawa cut him. _It is your house. It is your bed. Why do you keep on apologizing and minding me, you stupid human?_

"That's a relief then." The silver-haired male laid down, and it was indeed cramped. The demon scooted a little to the right to give a bit of room to the other. The human laid on his side, propping his chin on his arm as he gazed at the other. "By the way, what's your name?"

Surprise colored the demon's face. It was the very first time in ages that someone asked his name. "You… You already know it."

The human's eyebrows furrowed. "Hmm… but isn't 'Demon King Oikawa' just some kind of title? Besides, if ever someone goes here and I call you, I cannot refer to you by such name."

"Well, you got it right." The human was more perceptive than expected. "'Oikawa' is merely the name of our entire clan."

An astonished gasp. "Eh? Demons have clan names?"

It was the first time since he woke up—or has it been eons?—that Oikawa let a genuine chuckle and smile slip on his face. "Of course. Just like humans, demons have clans. It just so happened that the Oikawa clan is the strongest one, thus, we reign."

The human nodded, getting the point. "Ahhh. Okay, fine, let's settle this. What name do you prefer to be called? Want me to call you Oikawa, Your Highness, His Excellency?"

"Tooru."

"Tooru?" The name rolled on the human's tongue smoothly.

"Mmm. My given name."

A name he was not called ever since he was born.

A name he only read on the scroll bearing his name.

A name that he almost erased from his memory.

A name he wished to hear someone else call him.

It was night yet he could clearly see the bright smile on the mortal's face. "Nice to meet you, Tooru. I am Koushi."

"Koushi…" He tested the name on his tongue. "That's it? No clan name?"

There was that heavy tinge in his voice again. "I don't have a clan name."

"Don't human beings normally bear clan names?"

A hollow chuckle was the only answer.

"Thank you for saving me, Koushi."

"It's nothing, Tooru."

___________________________________________________

"Pffft," Sugawara snickered, his chuckles airy, "we were really conversing about our names."

"What's funny, you no-clan-name man," Oikawa sassily rolled his eyes and leaned against the cafe couch. "You have no taste for romance. That was the beginning of Tooru and Koushi's blooming love story."

"Wah, you talk of this as if it were just any other fictional chick flick," the teacher snorted. "Isn't it creepy that we have exactly the same names as them?"

Oikawa shook his head, a smug smirk curled on his lips. "Creepy? Nah. That's fate telling us that we are for each other."

"You wish," Sugawara childishly stuck his tongue out.

  
___________________________________________________  
  
  


Weeks passed.

Tooru's wounds and injuries started their gradual healing process. Some completely healed, some formed scabs, still some were too deep and taking their sweet time to close.

Koushi patiently watched over him. Save from the human's rare visits to the town, they were mostly together. Koushi did everything for him; the cooking, feeding, cleaning, dressing wounds and buying him peasant clothes.

He could vividly recall how Koushi merely used some ropes cut into the length of Tooru's measurements, left and went home with five sets of new clothes that fit Tooru well. According to Koushi, the harvest was bountiful that time, so he managed to buy clothes with quality garments.

"Where's yours?" Tooru asked as he tried on a green tunic.

"Mine?"

"Your own set of new garments."

Koushi was taken aback as he scanned himself. He covered his mouth, stifling a laugh. "My bad, I forgot to buy myself my own!"

Tooru could not bathe by the spring meters away from the cottage. Koushi himself said that it would be better for the demon to have an actual bath and not merely a bed bath, so daily, he went to the spring and got Tooru a pail of water.

"Why can't you just draw water from that deep lake? Isn't that nearer?" The demon asked one day as he poured water on himself whilst sitting on a wooden block outside the cottage.

"Lake?" Koushi repeated, grinding some elm bark, mint and some flowers for Tooru's hair and body. Even if his back was turned away from the demon, the latter could tell that the other was confused. 

"That one where you draw our water from."

"Ahhh, the deep well? Tooru, that's for our drinking water."

"Uh, but that's still water."

"It will run out fast if we will just use it for bathing. Digging another well would be a chore, you know."

He could stand at the beginning by the third week he woke up. He could walk a few meters before panting in exhaustion by the following week. Koushi often helped him up but there were times when Tooru was stubborn.

Once, Koushi was outside, washing their clothes by the river farther than the spring. He told Tooru to stay inside and wait for him to come home. Tooru attempted to get out and catch the rabbit his hypersensitive senses smelled from afar, but a few minutes later, he broke a jar he tripped onto.

He could vividly recall how anxious he, a Demon King, had become as he waited for the human to come home.

He expected to be reprimanded.

He expected to be thrown out.

But then, there came a completely different response.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere? Did you break a bone? I'm sorry I left you all alone." Koushi held his face, tilting Tooru's head to check for injuries. His eyes and hands roamed on Tooru's body, searching for cuts.

"I'm fine." Tooru diverted his gaze to the ground. For some reason, he was unable to look in Koushi's gaze. The pathetic human did everything in his power to take care of the demon. For Tooru to break a damn pitcher, a pitcher that was of great value for a poor peasant like Koushi, made him feel something strange, something he never felt before.

All he knew was he wanted to make amends in any way he could.

"Good." A hand landed on his brown locks, ruffling them a bit.

It was certainly a gesture a peasant should never do to a monarch, a demon king on top of that, but Tooru did not find it irritating unlike he expected he would feel.

"Mmm… Tooru, can you help me wash these bean sprouts instead? I need to start the fire now. Dinner is going to be delish tonight. My friend gave me a portion of the lamb he just slaughtered."

"Sure."

Tooru was disappointed when the warm touch left his head.

A moon and three weeks after his defeat, he could go out of the house with minimal assistance from Koushi. It was boring inside the cottage, thus he started tagging along Koushi to the plantation.

It was indeed smaller than the ones Tooru and his minions seized or burned, but the area was still too vast for a single human like Koushi to tend.

One particular day, Tooru was sitting by a wooden bench, watching as Koushi sowed seeds right after tending on his young bulbs and cabbages. It took the human days to create furrows in the soil by a hoe because the ox which used to drag his plough died of old age a week ago. Koushi had nothing buy an ox with so he could only settle in his own manpower.

Koushi was obviously tired. His chest rose with his heavy breaths and sweat trickled down his weary body. His skin flushed a pink color and parts of his legs that were not covered by his boots were marred by mud and soil. Still, he seemed fresh with all the smiling he did.

_What was supposed to be fun about tiring yourself?_ Tooru thought. It was nothing new though.

The entire time he was there, he was graced with Koushi's smile.

Tooru could never understand the human. Koushi was living a harsh life, desperately trying to survive all by himself, so where did he gather the energy to smile?

"Kou-chan," Tooru called his companion by the nickname he made up, "don't you really need help?"

There was that smile again. "I'm alright. You can help once you regain your full vigor."

As if that would happen. Tooru would have annihilated Koushi or have fled once he was restored to full health. 

"Boringgg. It makes me guilty that I just watch you working hard every single day."

"Thank you, Tooru. Honestly, I would like you to lend your hand but really, this is for your own good." He wiped the sweat from his forehead and Tooru rose, carefully walking to him with a pitcher of cold, sweet water.

"Thanks." Koushi raised the pitcher, positioning the lid above his mouth as he drank straight from it.

Tooru took his time observing the way Koushi's almost nonexistent Adam's apple bobbed with every gulp. His companion seemed like a lady for him based on his delicate stature and appearance, as well as his domestic behavior. If not for his unexpected strength and the subtle hints of muscle, he would really think that he was with a peasant woman.

With how vigorous Koushi was working everyday, the demon often wondered why the human's frame was that small and lithe.

Koushi was a great companion. The mortal bore the wits, the sense, the wisdom, making Tooru think how pitiful the other was being stuck as a poor fellow.

There was something so light with his aura that Tooru felt as if he did not need to be on guard around him, unlike the way he was even with his former henchmen back in the castle. By the manner he took care of Tooru, it did not seem that Koushi would turn him into the authorities. It seemed as if he would not forsake him.

Unlike Tobio.

Unlike Iwa.

Unlike Kuroo and Kiyoko as he had foreseen in his visions.

Tooru almost felt guilty thinking of killing Koushi.

Life in the fields and forest was simple. It was a routine.

Koushi would prepare breakfast then they would eat together.

The human would farm, wash clothes, hunt, pick fruits. Tooru would tag along, watching or assisting Koushi in whatever he was doing as long as he would not get out of the forest.

Whenever the farmer would go to town, Tooru would be left waiting, either lying down or accomplishing whatever task Koushi was not able to finish. Koushi would come home, startled that the demon put an end to the task and thank him.

Night would fall and they would talk about anecdotes, stories and folklore. They would prepare for bed and go deep in their slumber on Koushi's cramped bed.

It was mundane but it was way better...

...way better than when he was in the castle reading thousands of scrolls and books, bugging his henchmen to entertain or play with him, looking in his crystal ball and formulating plans to annihilate the hero and the entire human race, and sitting down to wonder how life outside felt.

The cool yet slightly warm breeze that filled his lungs with life-giving air felt way better than the suffocating cold, stagnant one in his castle.

He loathed the brightness of the sunlight but a little of it enlightening his vision and warming the whole Earth was something he missed on rainy days.

Hah, the peasant wear he dreaded to wear felt more refreshing to wear than his thick royal garbs.

Most of all, he had someone to talk to,

Not about the devil's realm,

Not about terrorizing lowly mortals,

Not about ruining the world,

Not about slaughtering the hero and his comrades,

But just… life. Humans. Nature. Koushi. Him.

He found the place comfortable, probably too much that he extended his stay.

His wounds were healing, only a few left to close. He could even run a bit with a little to no limp. He would not go for the reason that he was not still in his best shape, at least that was what his mind told him. Besides, his magic won't still work, his powers probably still regenerating after he went beyond his usual capacity during the enervating battle with the hero. If he wanted to get back to the hero, he should regain his entire strength and heal completely first.  
  
  


One time, he accompanied Koushi deeper in the woods. It was time to harvest some of the wild herbs and mushrooms found near the slopes.

Tooru took one last sip from his waterskin and wiped the sweat accumulating to his forehead. They had been trekking for hours yet Koushi did not seem to have any plans to stop.

The basket strapped on Koushi's shoulders hung dangerously full on his back. A pungent smell from the herbs emanated, leaving Tooru who was behind him grimacing at the scent.

It always impressed Tooru how delicate Koushi looked but in reality, he was tough. The human's stamina was no joke, his steps not wobbling unlike Oikawa who needed a staff to ascend, hence he concluded that Koushi was definitely used to this activity.

"Hey, Kou-chan, aren't these enough?" Oikawa was in the process of transferring Koushi's load to his own half filled basket. "We already gathered more than enough."

"That's why I told you to stay behind," Koushi remarked as they got on a flatter terrain. "I rarely go near this area and it would be a chance to get those rare mushrooms."

"What are we even gonna do with those mushrooms?"

"Sell," Koushi answered enthusiastically. "We can sell them fresh or have them dried. I can even extract them, turn them into actual elixirs and medicine and sell for a higher price."

"But isn't it too much? I bet you do not even manage to carry half of these all alone."

"Exactly. I managed to venture and gather more because of your assistance, Your Highness."

 _This money-faced bastard, really._ "Sure thing." Tooru sighed.

The terrain became darker as they approached the shadowy areas. The sun barely slithered past the thick foliage of the trees. The branches extended their arms to great lengths, differing from the ones near Koushi's land. With how dark it was, dusk seemed to be approaching fast despite the fact that it was still an hour and a half shy from sunset.

Eerie sounds of the branches swaying, dry leaves cracking under their shoes, and birds squawking echoed in the forest. Slime made it more difficult to walk and Tooru was starting to itch with all the insects buzzing around.

"Ahhhh, I'm so exhausted." Out of the blue, Koushi stretched his arms and yawned. He wiped his drowsy tears. "I don't think I will make it home awake if I push past my limits."

"Finally you thought of that."

They strolled back towards the trail they took. In the first few meters, there was not a problem, but as they went on, a chill in Tooru's spine came. He could hear cries and shrieks, a rumbling coming from the very pits of a famished stomach. He could sense a different presence, one which was powered with rage and promised mayhem if not stopped.

It was definitely a dangerous presence...

Similar to a beast.

"Tooru?" Said male extended his arm before the human, making the other halt.

"Can you climb that tree?" Tooru's eyes wandered warily.

The question was so sudden. "What?"

"Can you climb that tree or at least get on top of that rock?" The demon took the basket off from his back and handed it to the human.

"What? Why?"

"It's coming already so just scram!"

Not even a few heartbeats since the words fell from Tooru's lips that heavy, hurried steps resounded. The birds fluttered away, the insects scattered in the air, and a gust of wind swept to their faces as a huge wild boar charged towards Koushi.

Koushi stood frozen in place, fear overtaking him that he could not pull his knife out. He closed his eyes, waiting for the bone-crushing impact to come but it didn't.

A hand pushed him to the side, making him stumble on the ground and pained grunting sounds echoed. His lids fluttered open, only to see his demon companion wrestling with the boar.

"Tooru!" His eyes protruded as he watched Tooru pinning the boar down before they rolled around the slimy path. "Oh my God… Are you crazy!?"

"Run, climb that tree, rock, stay away!"

Koushi felt the air leaving his body as he witnessed the heart-stopping scene before him. Tooru, the ill demon who he took care of for two moons was growling, eyes blazing with ferocity as he struggled with the boar. His arms bulged out and the veins on his neck and forehead protruded as he kept the boar above from crushing him. He managed to pin the boar down for several seconds before its hind leg sent Tooru flying to the tree.

The beast stood, stance telling that it would charge towards Koushi who was descending from the rock he was on to go towards his companion. Its heavy feet thumped on the ground, walking, running, storming to the human.

It never reached Koushi as a savage Tooru darted towards the wild boar, movements lightning fast as he sent the beast and himself tumbling to the earth.

A loud cry ripped through the murky air as Tooru's nails—claws—dug on the boar's back. He attempted to pierce deeper but he couldn't, so he opted to lift the beast and slam it down the sharp, jagged rocks nearby before charging towards it.

Koushi shook as his eyes fell on the Demon King, feral with fury as he stomped mercilessly on the animal. Tooru almost slipped, the slime on the ground and their bodies too slick, but he managed to get a hold of his footing as he draped himself on the boar's back. The demon's arms wrapped around the beast with a choking hold, claws digging under its neck. With one abrupt jerk to the left, the boar's neck snapped. Dead.

Tooru panted, breathing rapidly as he slid from the animal's back. He wiped his forehead with the clean side of his forearm. "We have a delicious dinner, Kou-chan."

No one answered, and Tooru searched for human who he found curling near the rock, trembling.

He did not know what came over him but he rushed to the shaken human. "Kou-chan, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Tooru was about to touch the other to check when he realized that he was stained with blood, slime and dirt. He withdrew a little, only for a slim set of limbs to be thrown around him.

"What…" The demon trailed off, not knowing what to say. His arms suspended in the air, shock coursing through him as Koushi tightened his embrace around him.

"Stupid!" Koushi shouted.

Tooru should be offended that a mere mortal referred to him by a derogatory term but he wasn't mad at all.

"If you sensed that it would attack, we should have ran already. Do you like meat that much for you to risk your life over it!?"

"It's not…" It was really rare for the proud Demon King to fumble for words, and that particular moment was among those times. "There was little time to run. It charged towards us, you know. Towards you. I just could not stand… and the meat is just a bonus."

"Don't do it again!" The human's voice cracked and sniffles could be heard. "What if your body couldn't take it, dumbass!"

Tooru stared down at the mop of silver hair on his chest. The human's shoulders shook and his neck reddened with the hushed sobs he made. Tooru rubbed his hands and arms on his sides before he slowly, slowly closed his arm around Koushi's frame while his other hand laid on the human's head.

 _It's soft. It's silky._ He thought as he awkwardly caressed the silver locks. He patted the other's back, hand gliding down. He could tell that the skin underneath was velvety.

_What am I thinking?_

"Hey, hey, Kou-chan," Tooru spoke in his light, hearty tone while patting the human. "I am alive and the boar is dead, see? No need to be scared anymore."

"Don't scare me again like that." Hands clenched on the hem of his top. Koushi's head remained hung low. "As long as you are under my care, you cannot just do things carelessly."

"Yes, yes, my Lord," Tooru jokingly mused and a fist knocked on his back.

After the awkward encounter between them, they decided to lessen their load. With a heavy heart, Koushi emptied the contents of one basket. He strapped it behind him while Tooru carried the boar on his back.

A worried frown. "Isn't it heavy?"

A conceited smirk. "I'm no human, Kou-chan."

Moments later, a hand tugged on the hem of his top.

"Mmm?" They were still walking.

Koushi was looking at the side. "Just making sure you are there."

There was that weird feeling again.

Halfway, Tooru felt exhaustion creeping in. Koushi seemed the same by the manner the human slowed down on his pace.

"Kou."

"Tooru?"

"Maybe I can teleport us from here."

"Huh? Won't that strain your health? You are still weak. You just used your strength going here, slayed a boar, and—"

"Don't you have any trust in the Demon King?"

Koushi shook his head. "It's not that. It's just… can your body take it?"

Tooru leaned closer to Koushi, balancing the boar's and his own weight. "Yes. If I can't, you are there to take care of me again, right?"

"Aren't you too sure of yourself?" Tooru noticed Koushi's cheeks glowing in a pinkish color. _It must be the heat._

"Just stating facts." The demon winked and grasped Koushi's hand.

"Close your eyes, Kou-chan."

"Okay." Koushi shut his eyes and squeezed the large hand grasping his.

With Tooru's utmost concentration, they teleported right before the cottage.

"Tooru!" Koushi's voice rang in his ears. "Oh my, we really made it. We are—Tooru, can you hear me, Tooru!"

"Ugh." Tooru groaned, head pounding as he woke up from his slumber.

_How did I end up here?_ All he remembered was that they were trekking, picking herbs, then he killed a boar, then they walked back, and then he teleported—

_Ah, okay._ He passed out.

_Koushi was right._ He was still too weak, his body not in its optimum condition.

He was definitely not ready.

If he really wanted to defeat the hero, he should first make sure that he could perform the most basic of his spells without fainting like a feeble creature.

He rose, a groan escaping his lips as his legs and thighs burned. They definitely walked too much, and it seemed that such aches won't subside anytime soon.

He stepped out of the cottage and saw barrels. Scent of raw meat and spices wafted in the air as he opened one lid, and he realized that those were parts of the boar preserved for the following days.

He turned to the side and saw a small flicker of light from a distance, the area without grass. He headed to that direction and as he neared, cracking sounds of fire and the orangey glow of flames came to view. Suspended above the small bonfire was the boar's leg tied on a three-stick framework. By the looks of it, it was nearly finished cooking and his mouth watered at the smell of meat, its juices and spices.

"Finally awake. You really scared me when you fainted." A familiar voice suddenly spoke and he turned to see Koushi holding a pot and two small cups.

"Sorry for that." Tooru chuckled. "Did you already eat?"

"No. I was waiting for you." The human smiled warmly. He laid the cups and pot on a huge flat rock before sitting down. Tooru followed, sitting a few meters from the human.

"Is your back okay? You hit the trunk and ground hard. It was a miracle that you attained no injuries except for some bruises and scratches."

"I'm fine except for my legs. I think they may fall out anytime."

Tooru helped the other untie the meat and place it on the huge leaves laid side by side.

"Same, same. I got quite overboard with our trip today."

"Just _quite_ overboard?"

"A little too much. Apologies, Tooru."

"It was…" _fun,_ "okay. I will join you next time again."

"Next time?"

_Did I just say that?_ "Mmm."

Koushi took out a knife, held the boar's leg by the bone and cut through the flesh.

Koushi laughed as he noticed how Tooru smacked and licked his lips while his eyes shone with anticipation. "Mouth watering already, Mr. Boar Killer?"

"Yes." Tooru could practically tell that he was nearly drooling. "Kou-chan, the top part is still a bit raw."

"I really left that part as ease. You like raw meat, don't you?"

Tooru did not know why but a smile involuntarily curved on his lips. "Thank you."

They happily ate, recounting the events of the day and exchanging hunting stories. He told the human some anecdotes, those he never cared to share before...

Because he did not see the need to do so.

Because no one would be willing to listen to a monster like him.

He listened, he smiled, he laughed, he teased.

Never did he feel so carefree before.

Never did he speak that much about things concerning him.

Never did he show so many emotions to someone.

Never did he enjoy hearing stories from someone.

Never did anyone embrace him, call him 'stupid,' and make him feel that someone was scared to lose him…

A demon like him.

A Demon King like him.

It was definitely the first time, in his almost a millennium of existence, that someone cared.

  
  
  


He laid down on his side that night, attempting to sleep. The bed dipped, signaling Koushi ending all of his night rituals.

"Tooru? Still awake?"

He opted not to answer.

Fingers threaded through his brown locks, the fingertips and nails leaving fluttering touches to his scalp. He almost jerked when the dainty hand pressed against one of his horns, caressing the rough surface.

Velvety words echoed in his ears. "Thank you for saving me."

The hand withdrew and he almost grasped it had not he checked himself.

_What was I about to do?_

As soon as he heard Koushi's relaxed breathing, he turned towards the sleeping human, watching him until he drifted to dreamland.

  
  
___________________________________________________

"I still can't believe it. Everything seemed like straight out of a fairytale."

Oikawa opened the cafe door for the two of them. He offered to walk Sugawara to the bus stop, and the other made no protest.

"If we do not share the same dreams, I would honestly think that these are all fictional." Sugawara mumbled, sipping on his bland coffee that he had ordered a few hours ago. "Why are we given such visions?"

"I don't know. Fate must be telling us something."

That was when Sugawara noticed Oikawa's twinkling eyes they almost resembled hearts and the batting of his eyelashes. He leaned closer and closer to the teacher, lips puckered exaggerratedly.

"Ouch!" Oikawa winced as Sugawara slapped his forehead. "Suga-chan, how barbaric!"

Sugawara's face was red. "H-How unbecoming of you to try that shit on our first date."

Oikawa's mouth formed into an 'o.' "'First?' So there will be a next one?"

"Hah!?" As soon as Sugawara realized what his words entailed, rain poured down, nearly drenching them.

"Shit!" They ran, with Oikawa trying to shield Sugawara from the heavy pelts of water with his hands.

"Did they report a downpour in the news?" Sugawara panted as they reached the waiting shed. He was clearly not used to physical activity anymore for his stamina to deplete by mere running.

"They didn't. This is probably a thunderstorm." Oikawa replied, an irritated expression on his face.

Sugawara observed how Oikawa sat on the bench and it seemed as if the coach was not leaving.

"Hey, my bus is coming. Aren't you going?"

"I'll just watch you get on it and go." Oikawa's eyes darted to the surroundings, to the crying skies as he clucked his tongue.

Sugawara got a little inkling of what it was about. "...you don't have an umbrella, do you?"

Oikawa's eyes grew big in surprise. "How did you…"

The teacher fumbled in his bag, pulled out a teal umbrella and handed it to the volleyball coach. "Here."

"Oh God… no need, Suga-chan!" Oikawa was clearly flustered. He waved his hands in denial of the offer. "I am alright. I can just wait until the rain stops."

"What if it stops at nightfall?"

"It's just a thunderstorm."

"What if it isn't?"

"I can just run from here to the train station."

"That's too far from here."

"I can just call Iwa-chan or Dai-chan to fetch me."

"What are you, their child?"

"Suga-chaaaaan," Oikawa whined childishly, even stomping his feet like the grown man he was. "You need that umbrella."

"I have a raincoat." The other answered, still extending the umbrella. "I will wear it once I am about to get off the bus."

Oikawa reached for the umbrella and smiled. "Thank you."

"Take it back as soon as possible."

"What—" Oikawa's jaw fell. "So you mean, I, you, date, I… asdfghjklsodbeldnelmrlcmrl."

"Huh?" Sugawara giggled at the back of his hand at the other's gibberish and Oikawa could only think of the radiant sun and the twinkling stars and a bright halo at the precious sight and music.

"Umm, why? You hate me right?"

"I don't…" It was Sugawara's turn to be flustered. He grinned with something akin to nervousness as he scratched his head. "Let me clarify. It is not exactly a date, but I would like to hear and share more in case we dream more."

"I don't care as long as I am with you." Oikawa made grabby hands to Sugawara, intending to hug him, but the bus just came at the right time to spoil the moment.

"I'm going." Sugawara turned to the other direction and Oikawa immediately opened the umbrella for the other.

"How can I contact you?" The taller inquired as he followed the shorter to the bus's entrance.

"Ask Daichi for my number." The silver-haired male replied as he stepped in the bus.

"Suga-chan."

"Yes?"

"Thank you for today."

With just one flash of Sugawara's killer smile, Oikawa felt all the air leaving his body. He held his chest, his Cupid-shot heart throbbing against his hand.

Oikawa probably looked stupid grinning from ear to ear as he walked to the train station but he found no heart to care.

He had a date with Sugawara.

He was lent an umbrella.

He scored another date.

He would see Sugawara again.

That's what matters.


End file.
